Thread: Love & Race
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Old 07-22-2009, 10:00 AM
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greenbear greenbear is offline
 
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Amanda's[QUOTE]
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If it's not God's will, if it's not good, if it is a bad decision etc...and you do it any way it is sin.

As I previously stated:

Amanda's
Quote:
Quote:
We had better be mighty careful (just because we may have “good” marriages), that we don’t go around judging Christians that may have ignorantly or willfully married a lost person.
Ignorantly married a lost person...sure, I'll give you that.

Willfully? James 4:17 comes to mind.

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
While it's not up to us to shake a finger, scowl and judge, it will be judged as sin by God. I don't believe as a state of sin, but a single act of sin.
I think one other thing we disagree on is actually calling willfully marrying an unbeliever, ignoring the negatives and all the red flags and the Father's will - SIN.
This is not my quote. I painstaking listed all of my quotes about the topic on my preceding post. Since you are addressing me and attributing your misunderstanding of the following quote to me, I'll try to make it clear.
Renee wrote this sentence:
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We had better be mighty careful (just because we may have “good” marriages), that we don’t go around judging Christians that may have ignorantly or willfully married a lost person.
Amanda wrote this sentence in response to Renee's quote above:
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Ignorantly married a lost person...sure, I'll give you that.

Willfully? James 4:17 comes to mind.

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
Although I didn't write the above words, I agree with Renee's thoughts. Although I haven't compiled all of Renee's quotes on the topic, I don't think she is saying it's OK to marry an unbeliever. Taking the plain meaning of her words, she is saying that we need to take great care that we don't judge the marriages of those who are already married! Once a believer marries an unbeliever, it done! The couple is joined by God! They are one flesh. Matthew 19:6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

I believe Renee's point is that we should be careful in judging this couple's marriage as being in some way inferior to our own. An attitude of judgement toward the couple and the validity of their marriage by their (or his or her's) church fellowship, for instance, could cause pain and difficulty in the marriage. Marriage, especially between a believer and unbeliever, is often difficult enough as it is. God forbid that we should play a part in dividing them asunder. Now, that would be a grave sin.

Quote:
I think one other thing we disagree on is actually calling willfully marrying an unbeliever, ignoring the negatives and all the red flags and the Father's will - SIN
Unbelief is sin. That can generally cover many things that we do in our lives but only God can judge a person's heart, whether they are doing something because they have unbelief in their heart or not.

I would never counsel a believer to marry an unbeliever ... unless there were extenuating circumstances. Perhaps if they are already sleeping together, and they won't or can't stop, which is something that is specifically NAMED AS SIN...fornication, or adultery. Or if the woman was pregnant by the man.

Granted that Paul tells widows to remarry only in the Lord, but can you tell me where in the Bible goes God singles out the act of a believer marrying an unbeliever and specifically condemns it. Does He ever NAME IT AS SIN? If He does, then I will flat out name it as a sin.

I try (unsuccessfully many times) not to condemn other people for things they do that I feel is sinful. I'm a hypocrite when I do that, and maybe even a false accuser. Jesus pronounced many Woes! to hypocrites. To regular sinners He says, Go and sin no more. He really hates hypocrisy. I don't think He cares much for false accusers, either. I don't want to be either of those things, even though I know I am at times.

Last edited by greenbear; 07-22-2009 at 10:06 AM.